Helpful Tips to Ensure Your Lizard Pet Enjoys a Healthy Life

David Banks
Authored by David Banks
Posted Tuesday, October 20, 2020 - 11:10pm

There are numerous reasons many people prefer keeping lizards to other pets. Whether you have a leopard gecko, an iguana, or a bearded dragon, these amazing creatures are just fun and beautiful to have around your home. These caged companions are easy to take care of, won’t produce a lot of noise, and you don’t have to deal with fur messes or damages around the home.

However, lizard pets need to be taken good care of, just like other pets. You need to ensure that your reptile companion is supplied with several basic necessities and essentials to keep her happy and healthy. On this note, here are some helpful tips to ensure your lizard pet enjoys a healthy life.

1. Give Her a Good Crib 

Some people keep lizards as pets, and it can get crusty if you do not do your research properly. While at it, this reptile has over 4000 species that need to be taken care of differently. Therefore, you need to do some vigorous research about your future reptile friend’s environmental needs before bringing him home.

Moreover, there are basic requirements for each lizard, especially when it comes to heat, humidity, and preferred levels of light. If you are just getting started with keeping reptile pets, Stacey at Reptile.Guide suggests starting with a lizard gecko. This is because they are easily tamable, their basic care requirements are minimal, and they are generally docile.

But then again, sometimes pets are the family we never had, so we try to give them the most comfortable environment we can afford. This means ensuring that the enclosure for your lizard pet is spacious enough for the pet to live and roam about comfortably even after growing. Keep in mind that some species grow tremendously, while others keep an average size. Research your pet's growth propensity, which will also guide you on the kind of foliage and water bodies, and other elements to include in the enclosure. Some plants and other natural elements like logs and stones for sunbathing will make her feel at home. 

2. Feed Her Right 

If you thought taking care of a dog is tricky, you have not met the lizard pet yet. There are different lizard species, and the funny thing is, they do not all feed on the same things. Each species has its dietary requirements. Weird, right? All the same, an omnivorous diet tends to be the essential diet for this reptile pet and mostly consists of plants, insects, and rodents. Carnivorous diets consist of worms, crickets, roaches, and mice. However, some lizards love to eat their "eat alive. That means that you may have to buy “live meat" in a pet store. Lizards also enjoy leafy plants and fruits, which can be found readily available at the grocery store. Go for plants like yellow squash, blueberries, collard greens, romaine lettuce, and juicy fruits.

3. Spend Time with the Reptile 

This is an essential part of any pet's life. For one, you are keeping the lizard as a pet because you share a unique bond. That means that you will need to spend quality time together. In addition to that, you will need to know how to handle the lizard safely. Furthermore, the lizard needs some cleaning and medical checks at the vet’s office. 

In line with pet safety while handling, remember that smaller lizards can be extraordinarily fragile, and it is best if you only hold them when necessary. The little lizards are at risk of losing their tails when mishandled, and they can succumb to internal injury when they are squeezed too tightly. 

When the lizard is mishandled, they may also feel threatened and stressed. Owning a lizard requires more concentration and research than just details. Despite the attention, it is therapeutic and fun owning this type of reptile for a pet. 

4. Security Requirements 

We keep pets expecting to find them home when we come back from work or the hustles of chasing the bag. Just as you could keep a parrot caged, keep your lizard enclosed. Your reptile pet should be protected from intruders, especially other pets or stray animals, like cats and dogs. As if that is not enough, lizards can jump far and beyond if they are not well meshed. You should find a professional cage designed to suit the needs of your pet. You can also build your cage DIY if you have the right skills.

And that’s just about it. Lizards are great pets to have around. They are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they also with numerous benefits, like providing companionship and self-satisfaction. Keeping your reptile friend healthy is a must, and the above tips can help you do just that.


 

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